Free Kiddie Concerts

monica and selena enjoyed free kiddie concerts--and were featured in the papers, too!




The beauty of writing for the local paper is that I find out about good deals and activities to do. I took my kids to the Saturday concert series for kids sponsored by the Antioch Arts and Cultural Foundation. Here in the USA, they make sure the families have many things to do on week-ends. It is the mission of the Arts and Cultural Foundation to propagate arts and culture in the community.

This is the initial year for the kiddie concerts but the all-age concerts have been around for more than 10 years,” Foundation CEO, Diane Gibson-Gray said. “The concerts are free and the kids get to interact with the artist at such close range, it’s fun.”

My kids went up on stage with the other children to make animal sounds and move to the beat of the many kiddie songs. Selena wore a chicken headpiece and Monica wore the cutest corn-row wig I have ever seen. To see them confident and learning while having fun was the biggest highlight.

This is what is so interesting (and progressive, if you will) in the States. If you are creative enough, there's so much to do without spending a lot. Attending the kiddie concert sure beats hanging out in the mall, where you are sure to spend and sure not to learn much. Attending the free concert ranks high up there with visiting the library, the bookstore, and the park.

The second biggest highlight was that the girls were featured in the Contra Costa Time, Antioch News! I also got to meet my idol photographer, Tue Nam Ton, carrying a hi-tech NIKON, versus my small tourist-y camera. Considering he was from THE biggest newspaper in the county, he was very friendly and generous. He sent me many pics of me and the girls and gave me wonderful tips when taking pics, "just point and shoot!" being the most logical.

Many of the people here in the States keep to themselves. There seems not to be enough time to be kind and talk to others in a connecting level. My belief that there are many kind and wonderful people everwhere in the world has been reinforced when I met Tue Nam. He is then a real idol.